Getting By
by Kali Cephirot
Summary: After the Heartless Invasion, Max is just glad to be with his friends.................... XOver with A Goofy Movie. Max, Roxanne, PJ. ONE SHOT, FINISHED.


**Getting By.**

"-- the injured are being taken care off." Max adds.

Queen Minnie nods and smiles, her dress still torn because there just hasn't been time to take care of it. She sighs a little, shaking her head. She looks exhausted, something pinched about her expression that makes Max think that it's just wrong.

"What about casualties?"

And he can't stop himself. "The windows of lady Clarabelle's rooms. When she screamed, they sorta exploded. And she sort of has a sore throat after that and--"

At least that makes the queen's expression soften as she shakes her head, covering her mouth with her hand to stop from giggling.

"_Max..._"

"Yes, ma'am?"

She lets out a small laugh, just a breath of it and sighs, looking at him fondly. It always makes him squirm, because most people in the castle look at him like that. It comes from his mom having died when he was little and from most of the people in the castle having helped his dad to raise him, so he's kinda almost everyone's child.

It used to be good when he was younger and he got dozens of presents for Christmas and his birthday: now its just kinda mortifying, knowing that the king and queen used to change your diapers and that they're all so very ready to make use of that knowledge.

Especially when they break out the photos.

"I'm sorry you couldn't see your father while he was here, Max."

Oh, that. He can't avoid moving a hand to the back of his neck, a little embarrassed about missing his dad, especially knowing that he's making something so important.

"Nah, that's okay," he tells the queen, bowing a little. "I've still gotta do some more rounds. If... that's okay?"

Minnie sighs an smiles, reaches up to pat his cheek and then she's also being led to another part of the castle, probably more people needing to be healed.

Back in the day, he was always bitter that he had no magic whatsoever and had to be just a knight. Who'dda thought. Max stops a moment in front of a non-enchanted mirror – those tend to tell him either about his hair or lack-of-romantic-life – to fix his armor, combing a hand to his hair.

"Max!"

And then he almost jumps out of his skin, hand almost reaching for his sword when he turns around, but then he quickly hides them behind his back.

"Hey!" He shakes his head, hoping to erase the dorky expression he's sure he has when Roxane gets close, instead frowning a little, concerned. "Are you guys okay?"

Roxanne nods, a sweet smile on her face and PJ sighs, draping an arm around his back, wizard clothes torn and a little dirty.

"Let me tell you, Max, that _I'm_ exhausted. Dinner's gonna be ready soon and I can't wait."

"Are you alright?" Roxanne asks, sweet and kind, taking his hand to squeeze it gently, making something go off like one of Donald's spells the way she always does. "We lost sight of you and--"

"Ahaha, yeah, it's nothing, seriously." And he stretches, his back popping into a few places, and then there's the soft touch of Cure and Roxanne casting it, her smile just a little bit shy as she's done, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Ahyu-- I MEAN... Thanks."

Max is already thinking about resting, but there's still job to do. Help PJ a lot, 'cause people are dumb jerks who keep on telling him about his dad, even though PJ's one of the most loyal people ever. And the heartless did a big number here, and there are broken things to mend and injured to help and as lame as it is, Max is going to go and talk with queen Minnie so that she can tell him about his dad, what he had done, if he had said anything about him. He knows about the Keyblad Master, of course – who in the castle _doesn't?!_ - but he still wants to hear about his dad. Especially after more than a year has gone by without hearing a thing, and pride for his dad makes the worry fade away, but he tries to change his expression fast, lest the family resemblance overcome his cool.

"C'mon, we can take a twenty minutes break and find something to eat," PJ asks. "And then we can tell you about the spell Roxanne and I did to take care of some of those nasty things."

"A break sounds fine," Roxanne says, smiling, and she reaches for his hand.

Max beams as he squeezes his fingers, wanting to know the things his friends did when he wasn't nearby and then see who else heard about his dad, and they walk towards the kitchen because few things will cause lady Cluck not to have dinner ready by six o' clock.

Something like heartless attacking the castle?

_Please._


End file.
